Here's where to try London's best establishments for a little less by opting for their entry-level set lunch offers (and don't forget to check our deals under £30). Also remember:
- Make sure the set lunch deal is running for the day of your booking
- If there's a signature dish you fancy and don't mind paying full price, ask about adding it to your order
The Cocochine
Mayfair - 27 Bruton Place, London W1J 6NQ
We voted this restaurant as the best-looking new opening of 2024 as it's a truly beautiful space. A team-up between chef Larry Jayasekara and gallery owner Tim Jefferies, you can also expect to see some of the latter's collection on the walls. The food is just as beautifully constructed and if one of the pies is an option, we'd strongly recommend that.
The offer: Three courses £49
Mauro Colagreco at The OWO
Whitehall - 57 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BX
Chef Mauro is best known for his three-Michelin-starred restaurant Mirazur and this is his London outpost. You'll see some similar approaches to dishes as with that South of France restaurant, albeit with a strong focus on local produce. This is probably the main signature restaurant at The OWO (although Kioku comes a close second).
The offer: Three courses £65
The River Café
Hammersmith - Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, London W6 9HA
The River Café is held up to be one of the very best restaurants in London and it's also got something of a reputation as being a little on the pricey side (pretty much every dish on the Secondi section of the menu is over £50). This winter-only set menu is, therefore the ideal time to try it out and it even includes the infamous Chocolate Nemesis.
The offer: Two Courses + dolci £65. Three Courses + dolci £80. (Available until early April)
Cornus
Belgravia - 27 Eccleston Pl, London SW1W 9NF
This rooftop restaurant that's just minutes from Victoria station comes from the same team behind the very successful Medlar. The main menu is a particularly pricey affair so this is the best way to try out some of their excellent cooking. At the time of writing, this includes their amazing rice pudding which is a must if it's on.
The offer: £55 for courses
34 Mayfair
Mayfair -34 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 2HD
This glam restaurant that's just off Grosvenor Square comes from Caprice Holdings. Steak is a big part of proceedings, but the set menu steers away from that, instead featuring dishes like salmon tartare and confit duck leg. It's a very good place for star-spotting too.
The offer: Two courses for £34 (of course), three courses £42
Il Gattopardo
Mayfair - 27 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, London W1S 4HZ
This high-end Italian restaurant comes from the same people behind Coya, Amazonico and Bar des Pres (they also have another version in Dubai). It's taken southern Italy as the inspiration in a restaurant that's made of a warren of rooms and bars.
The offer: Three courses £40
Kerridge's Bar and Grill
Corinthia Hotel, Whitehall Pl, Westminster, London SW1A 2BD
Tom Kerridge has two Michelin stars at the Hand and Flowers in Marlow and this is his main London restaurant at high-end hotel Corinthia London. The main dinner menu isn't on the cheap side (even the fish and chips are pricey) so this is an ideal way to give the restaurant a whirl.
The offer: Two courses for £39.50, three courses £47.50
Available: Monday - Friday lunch (also post-theatre)
More about Kerridge's Bar and Grill
Pearly Queen
Shoreditch - 44 Commercial Street, London E1 6LT
Chef Tom Brown (previously behind Cornerstone) is the man behind this Shoreditch restaurant and oyster bar and lunchtime is the perfect time to try it out. The set lunch menu is a "chef's choice" selection from the main menu, so expect it to change regularly.
The offer: Four sharing plates for £30
Kioku by Endo
Whitehall - The OWO. 7 Horse Guards Ave, London SW1A 2EX
Endo Kazutoshi's restaurant at the top of The OWO offers up a mix of Japanese food with some European influences as well as the chef's signature sushi. All that and some amazing views across this classic part of London. Get a table on the terrace if the weather is decent.
The offer: Two courses for £55, three courses £65
Available: Tuesday - Friday
Cloth
City of London - 44 Cloth Fair, London EC1A 7JQ
This City restaurant is in an area of town that's surrounded by some of London's oldest buildings. Inside a warren of rooms, you'll find a menu of seasonal British cooking. Make sure to order the chips as an extra - they're amazing here.
The offer: Two courses for £24, three courses £29
Roe
Canary Wharf - Five Park Drive, Wood Wharf, London E14 9GG
The latest restaurant from the team behind Fallow continues their success in this huge Canary Wharf riverside location. Their express lunch features small plates to share, like a chicken wing skewer and a choice if mains and dessert with options like 35 day dry aged steak. You can easily add on extras and we'd strongly recommend their blooming onion.
The offer: Three courses £34
Josephine Bouchon
Chelsea - 315 Fulham Road, London SW10 9QH
Claude and Lucy Bosi's neighbourhood French restaurant has been a huge hit and while some of the mains can be pricey, the "menu de canut" is a great deal. There are a few options per course which, at the time of writing, included Fromage de tête (brawn) and a pigs trotter croquette.
The offer: Two courses for £24.50, three courses £29.50
The Devonshire
Soho - 17 Denman Street, London W1D 7HW
The Devonshire can be a pretty hard place to get a booking at the best of times, but if you manage to score one the set menu is available at any time of the day. You'll usually find a steak on there, and deserts have included their sticky toffee pudding.
The offer: Two courses for £25, three courses £29
Brooklands
Knightsbridge - The Peninsula, 1 Grosvenor Pl, London SW1X 7HJ
Claude Bosi's restaurant at the top of the Peninsula London earned two Michelin stars in near record time. It's a fantastic looking room with a large model of Concorde hanging overhead, while the terrace offers some fantastic views of Belgravia and beyond.
The offer: The Concorde lunch menu with three courses for £65
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Knightsbridge - Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA
Heston Blumenthal's London sole London restaurant features a menu that is his take on historical dishes. The set menu might feature dishes like smoked salmon belly or a rhubarb and cardamom tart. If you're thinking of adding any extras, the meat fruit is a must.
The offer: Three courses £65
The Portrait by Richard Corrigan
National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Pl, London WC2H 0HE
As part of the multi-million-pound refurbishment of the National Portrait Gallery, Richard Corrigan took over the main restaurant, giving that incredible view the menu it deserved. A must-visit if you're going to the gallery and worth a detour even if you're not.
The offer: Two courses for £34, three courses £39
The Game Bird
Mayfair - The Stafford London, 16-18 St James's Place, London SW1A 1NJ
This is the main restaurant at the Stafford Hotel, where the food is looked after by Lisa Allen (who also runs the renowned Northcote). It's billed as a "seasonal" set menu so expect it to change through the year, with dishes like chicken Milanese and sticky toffee pudding on it at the time of writing.
The offer: Two courses for £45, three courses £55
Available: Monday - Saturday
Chishuru
Fitzrovia - 3 Great Titchfield St., London W1W 8AX
Adejoké Bakare recently moved Chishuru to this larger Fitzrovia location and the food is better than ever. Expect a regularly changing set menu of West African dishes with some truly innovative touches.
The offer: Three courses for £45
64 Goodge Street
Fitzrovia - 64 Goodge St, London W1T 4NF
From the same people behind nearby Clipston and Portland, this is their take on a classic French bistro in Fitzrovia. You can expect some twists on classically French dishes in a wonderfully cosy space.
The offer: Three courses for £49
The Grill by Tom Booton
Mayfair - 53 Park Lane, London W1K
Tom Booton has made The Grill at The Dorchester such a big deal that they put his name above the door. If you're looking to try out the food at this modern British restaurant, the set lunch is the perfect opportunity.
The offer: Three courses for £45
Tendril
Mayfair - 5 Princes St, London W1B 2LQ
Rishim Sachdeva's "mostly vegan" restaurant has settled into its permanent home so if you're looking for a vegan menu with maybe a little cheese, this is a very good bet. This offer is available early in the evening too.
The offer: Three courses for £35
Pavyllon
Mayfair - 64 Goodge St, London W1T 4NF
Top French chef Yannick Alleno's restaurant at the Four Seasons is a notably pricey affair, so this set lunch is definitely one of the more affordable ways to check it out. It's a speedy option, which features five courses in 55 minutes so it could be handy for a quick lunch.
The offer: Five courses for £55
Dovetale
Mayfair - 1 Dover Yard at 1 Hotel Mayfair, London W1J 8DJ
Tom Sellers' restaurant at the 1 Hotel sees the chef taking on a grand hotel menu (with more than a little help from Tom Anglesea in the kitchen). Get a seat on their amazing hidden terrace if you can (heated during winter).
The offer: Two courses, £34, three courses £40
Quality Chop House
Clerkenwell - 92–94 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3EA
There has been a Quality Chop House in London for over 150 years. But for our mind, the current iteration with Shaun Searley in the kitchen may just be the best. The confit potatoes are extra - but do not think of leaving without ordering them as an add-on.
The offer: Three-course set menu for £29
Noble Rot
Bloomsbury, Soho & Mayfair
All the Noble Rots are excellent spots for whiling away an agreeable afternoon and you can be sure that the wine lists are on point too. The set lunches at both represent excellent value, particularly in Mayfair, and you could always spend the money you've saved on more wine.
The offer: Two courses for £24, three courses for £28
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Midland Grand Dining Room
King's Cross - St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd, London NW1 2AR
Originally launched by chef Patrick Powell, this is the main restaurant at the St Pancras Renaissance hotel with a decadent French menu on offer here (expect lots of rich sauces) in a drop-dead gorgeous room.
The offer: Two courses £26, three courses £32
Lasdun
South Bank - National Theatre, Upper Ground, London SE1 9PX
The National Theatre brought in a powerhouse team to be in charge of its main restaurant - the people behind Hackney's hugely popular pub, The Marksman. On the South Bank, the restaurant makes good use of the Brutalist architecture while serving up a brasserie-style menu.
The offer: Two courses, £32, three courses £38
Available: Lunchtime and pre-theatre
Bibi
Mayfair - 42 North Audley Street, Mayfair, London W1K 6ZR
Bibi comes from chef Chet Sharma and the restaurant takes its influences from across India "from roadside cafés from Punjab in the north, to Kerala in the south" while also applying the techniques the chef has picked up in various Michelin-starred restaurants.
The offer: Three courses and snacks £55 (Teja lunch menu)
The Ninth
Fitzrovia - 22 Charlotte Street, London W1T 2NB
Recently reopened after a refurb, Jun Tanaka's Fitzrovia venture is a French/Mediterranean neighbourhood-style restaurant which uses fine dining cheffing techniques but with a more casual feel.
The offer: Two courses, £33, three courses £38
Apricity
Mayfair - 68 Duke Street, Mayfair, London W1K 6JU
Apricity is the latest restaurant from Chantelle Nicholson and it has a plant-forward menu (but is not exclusively vegetarian) along with a big focus on no waste and sustainability.
The offer: Five courses for £49
Available: Tuesday - Saturday
Fallow
St James - 2 St James’s Market, London SW1Y 4RP
Now in a permanent space, Fallow runs big on sustainability, so they use interesting cuts and everything is super seasonal and focuses mainly on British and Irish produce. One of their signatures, mushroom parfait, is on the set menu too.
The offer: Three courses for £42
Available: Monday - Friday
Planque
Haggerston - 322-324 Acton Mews, London E8 4EA
Making a name for itself in Haggerston is Planque, a wine-focused restaurant with a much-praised menu by Seb Myers. The set lunch is only available on Saturday and it's a great deal if you want to try out the food.
The offer: Three courses for £39
Available: Saturday only
Sucre
Soho - 47b Great Marlborough Street, London, W1F 7JP.
This Soho restaurant is by top Latin American chef Fernando Trocca, set in one of London's most beautiful new dining rooms.
The offer: Two courses £24, three courses £29
Available: All week
Aqua Shard
The Shard, 31 St. Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY
Dinner in any of the Shard's restaurants can be hard on the wallet, but head up there for lunch and you can take advantage of Aqua Shard's set-price lunch. Plus, there's one of the best views in town to enjoy while you're there, so that's a bonus.
The offer: Three courses for £55
Available: Monday to Friday
Bellamy's
Mayfair - 518 Bruton Pl, London W1J 6LY
The Table d'Hote set lunch menu at Bellamy's is a complete steal for Mayfair and very useful to know about as it's available at both lunch and dinner. The menu changes weekly and features all manner of classic treats.
The offer: £30.50 for two courses, £38 for three
Available: Monday to Saturday lunch and dinner
Behind
London Fields - 20 Sidworth St, London E8 3SD
The long lunch at this cutting-edge East London restaurant all takes place around a single counter and serves up a fish-focused menu that changes seasonally.
The offer: 6 courses for £64
Available: Thursday & Friday
Benares
Mayfair - 12A Berkeley Square House, Berkely Square, London W1J 6BS
Benares on Berkeley Square features an upscale menu featuring modern Indian cuisine with a British twist. It recently regained its Michelin star and remains one of the best Indian restaurants in London.
The offer: Two courses, £43, three courses, £49
Available: Tuesday - Saturday
Elystan Street
Chelsea - 43 Elystan St, London SW3 3NT
This is chef Phil Howard and Rebecca Mascarenhas' main restaurant in Chelsea, so if you're a fan of his cooking, this is the place to come. It's earned him a Michelin star and as dinner at Elystan Street can end up being pretty punchy, this makes their set lunch deal an even bigger draw.
The offer: Three courses for £45
Available: Monday to Saturday
Galvin La Chapelle
City - 35 Spital Square, London, E1 6DY
One of a few London restaurants by the Galvins, this also comes with a Michelin star, set in the frankly stunning St Botolph's Hall. Think fine, French, Michelin-starred food in historic surroundings.
The offer: 2 courses £49, 3 courses: £55
Available: Monday - Saturday
Hawksmoor
Spitalfields, Borough, City, Mayfair, Covent Garden, Knightsbridge, Canary Wharf
Famous for serving some of the best steaks in town, Hawksmoor also offer a very good deal on their Express Menu at lunchtimes across almost all of their restaurants (and early evening as well).
The offer: Two courses for £30 or three for £35.
The choice: 3-4 choices per course, including steak
HIDE
Mayfair - 85 Piccadilly, London W1J 7NB
Originally launched by Ollie Dabbous, this Mayfair restaurant now has Josh Angus in charge and is a three-storey affair, which includes a Michelin-starred fine dining tasting menu upstairs - and you'll find the set menu there. It's pretty impressive looking throughout too.
The offer: Three courses for £56
Available: Monday - Sunday
Kudu
Peckham - 119 Queens Road, Peckham, London SE15 2EZ
Peckham locals love the Kudu group and this is their original signature restaurant offering an ever-changing menu with a touch of South African influence.
The offer: 2 courses: £26, 3 courses: £29
Available: Friday only
Murano
Queen St, Mayfair, London W1J 5PP
Angela Hartnett's flagship, Michelin-starred restaurant serves up exquisite Italian food but at a price. Happily, the set menu brings it down to most people's budgets. A vegan set lunch is available too.
The offer: Two courses for £55 and three for £60
The Pem
St James - 22-28 Broadway, London SW1H 0BH
This is Sally Abe's London restaurant in Westminster, where you can expect excellent British produce. That’s no different when you opt for the set lunch menu which features the best of Cornish seafood along with seasonal veg too.
The offer: 2 courses £35
Portland
Fitzrovia - 113 Great Portland St, London W1W 6QQ
This is from the same group as Quality Chop House and while it may be billed as a neighbourhood restaurant Portland’s equally a great spot for a leisurely business lunch, with a regularly changing seasonal menu.
The offer: Two courses for £49 and three for £59
Savoy Grill
Savoy Hotel, London WC2R 0EU
This iconic British venue is one of Gordon Ramsay's group of restaurants - and remains one of London's classic dining institutions.
The offer: Two courses for £55, three courses for £62
Available: Monday - Friday
See also
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